1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to ornamental devices mounted on vehicles, and more specifically to baseball caps used by fans for displaying sports team preferences which can be mounted on the roof of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention relates to novel improvements in an ornamental device mounted on a vehicle for displaying a fan's preference for a particular sports team.
It is well known that sports fans become particularly excited at events featuring their favorite team. For instance, high-school students and fans enjoy participating at pep rallies at their schools and then traveling to the game in automobiles decorated with slogans, ribbons, and flags. Other fans display school name decals on their car bumpers or in windows. Amateur and professional teams and fans display their team preferences with jerseys, banners, and ball caps. The many and different ways of supporting their respective teams are enjoyable, yet are particularly effective when others see the display of support.
The field of ornamental devices for metal structures is crowded, yet relatively few are designed with the sports fan in mind, particularly when the loyal and supportive fan wants others to know by actively displaying in some manner his or her team preference.
Several prior art documents disclose items for attachment to vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,795, to Mace, issued Nov. 27, 1990, discloses an antenna marker device for automobiles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,153, to Moon et al., discloses a display device for use with cars, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,786 contains a description of nestable car top signs.
Other prior art discloses a variety of ornamental devices, as well as "in distress" signs.
Each of the above-mentioned patented devices provided certain desirable features. However, each device also has disadvantages or has left problems unsolved. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,795 to Mace discloses a device which is said to enhance the visibility of an individual's automobile by securing a relatively small device to an uppermost end of the automobile antenna. This device is quite small and not as readily visible as the present invention, and therefore could not draw attention to a sports fan's team preference. In addition, the Mace device is of a somewhat complex construction compared to the present invention. Finally, the device of Mace is not easily removable from the vehicle, as is the present invention.
The Moon et al. reference discloses a removable display device that a sports fan can use at a sporting event. However, similar to the Mace device, the flag-type device of Moon is neither as easily visible nor as adaptable to the fickleness of sports fans when they decide to change favorite teams, as is allowed by the present invention.
Lastly, the Wagner patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,786, discloses a complex system for nesting signs on top of an automobile. This system is quite complex as compared to the simple device of the present invention.
The present invention provides improvements to an ornamental device mounted on a vehicle for displaying a fan's sports team preference. A first preferred embodiment includes a ball cap formed by a mold into a plastic replica of a sports team official cap. The molded ball cap is affixed to a metal surface, such as the roof of a car, with a magnet of appropriate pull weight. Pull weight is the amount of force required to move or dislodge the magnet from its position. Using such a magnet allows the device to be easily removed from a vehicle, and provides the advantageous feature that the cap being displayed may easily be changed.
The magnet is preferably attached to the molded cap by means of an attaching bar. The bar is adapted to fit within the inside diameter of the cap, extending the length of the inside diameter from one side of the cap to the other. One way of securing the bar to the molded cap is by using a snap fit mechanism in which the attaching bar is appropriately shaped so that it snaps into a matching part of the molded cap. Another means for securing the bar to the cap is through use of appropriate sized screws, nuts, bolts, and/or washers.
In order to protect the car roof or other metal surface, a suitable material, such as felt, is preferably attached to the bottom or engaging surface of the magnet with glue or other suitable means.
An alternative means for affixing the molded cap to the vehicle is with a suitable length of cord. The cord is adapted to connect at each end to the outer diameter of the molded cap, and is of a length sufficient to be tied to a part of the vehicle. For example, a loop may be tied in each end of the cord, with a first end anchored to the cap. The other end may then be stretched across the roof of the vehicle, through an open door and the interior of the car to an opposite side, and then out the opposite door. Finally, the cord is placed under tension and the other end of the cord is tied off to the opposite side of the molded ball cap in fashion similar to the first end. Of course, it is possible to affix the molded cap to the metal surface with both a magnet and a cord.
In yet another preferred embodiment, a fabric cap is placed over a molded ball cap, like that described above, and is secured to the molded cap. One way to secure the caps to one another is with a rubber band of sufficient thickness and tension to hold a visor of the fabric cap, and therefore the entire fabric cap, to visor of the molded cap. Another way is to loop an attachment cord similar to that described above through both the molded cap and the fabric cap using aligning holes located at the bottom edge of both caps. The cord is then identically fastened to both the fabric cap and molded cap.
This embodiment has the advantage of allowing a fan to very quickly interchange caps. Further, the cap which is used in this embodiment to display fan allegiance to a team may simply be that fan's own cap which he or she normally wears.
A method of assembly of the first embodiment includes inserting and securing a magnet through a metallic attaching bar, securing the attaching bar within the inside diameter of a molded cap, adapting a protective pad to cover the surface of the magnet, and affixing the magnet to the metal surface.
A method of assembly of the second embodiment includes inserting and securing a magnet through a metallic attaching bar, fitting a fabric cap over a molded cap, securing the fabric cap to the molded cap using a rubber band around the visor of the fabric cap, securing the attaching bar within the inside diameter of the molded cap as well as to the outer fabric cap, adapting a protective pad to cover the surface of the magnet, and finally affixing the magnet to the metal surface.
An alternative or additional method of securing the ornamental device to the metal surface is by connecting a first end of a cord to one side of the molded cap or both caps, depending on the embodiment, looping the cord through the interior of a car, and attaching the second end of the cord to the opposite side of the molded cap or caps.
In summary, the advantages of the present invention include: 1) attachability of an ornamental display device to a vehicle, which device is preferably used to display sports team preference, the device being large enough to be readily observable when the vehicle is viewed; 2) a device which is easily removable and interchangeable; and 3) a device which is inexpensive, and of simple design.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention are set forth more completely in the accompanying drawings and the following description.